Volume 12, Issue 5 (May 2025), Pages: 208-213
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Original Research Paper
Effect of image-guided myofascial release therapy on rehabilitation in patients with neck myofascial pain syndrome
Author(s):
Linhan Wang, Ming Wang *, Jiarui Wang
Affiliation(s):
College of Sports Science, Zhuhai College of Science and Technology, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519041, China
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* Corresponding Author.
Corresponding author's ORCID profile: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1805-9011
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2025.05.020
Abstract
Trigger point pain is a key characteristic of myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), which is often associated with poor lifestyle habits and inadequate rehabilitation following injury, leading to reduced quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Myofascial Release Therapy (MRT) on patients with Neck Myofascial Pain Syndrome (NMPS). A total of 29 patients were randomly assigned to either a control group (n=14) receiving conventional physical therapy or an experimental group (n=15) receiving MRT. Medical imaging techniques, including X-ray, CT, and MRI, were used in combination with image enhancement, segmentation, and registration methods to support diagnosis and evaluation. Machine learning and deep learning algorithms were applied for automatic image segmentation and feature extraction to identify lesions. After three weeks, the experimental group showed significantly greater improvements in craniocervical angle, flexion, extension, side bending, and rotation angles compared to the control group (P < 0.05). These improvements remained significant after six weeks in several parameters. While both therapies were effective, MRT demonstrated faster and more noticeable results. As a non-invasive, painless, and easy-to-administer method, MRT—particularly fasciolysis—offers a practical and efficient approach to physical rehabilitation for NMPS.
© 2025 The Authors. Published by IASE.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Keywords
Myofascial pain, Neck pain, Physical therapy, Myofascial release, Rehabilitation
Article history
Received 31 October 2024, Received in revised form 20 April 2025, Accepted 15 May 2025
Acknowledgment
Supported by "Three Levels" talent Construction Project of Zhuhai College of Science and Technology.
Compliance with ethical standards
Ethical considerations
All participants provided written informed consent prior to their involvement in the study. They were informed about the purpose, procedures, potential risks, and benefits of the research. Participation was voluntary, and participants had the right to withdraw at any time without any consequences. All personal data were kept confidential and used solely for research purposes.
Conflict of interest: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Citation:
Wang L, Wang M, and Wang J (2025). Effect of image-guided myofascial release therapy on rehabilitation in patients with neck myofascial pain syndrome. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 12(5): 208-213
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